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neko-chan

Do you think free will exists? Do we have control over our decisions, or are we just set on a predetermined path? Please elaborate.

amrokasha76’s Profile PhotoAmr Okasha
When I was in year 10 I believed everyone was a product of their childhood, of things beyond their control. This idea ruined me, basically. This belief was one piece into the manifesto of my depression. I thought I was beyond help, and any evil I did was not the result of my choice but of external circumstances. I believed in God but I believed he was evil since he punished people for things they had no control of. No free will meant I could not rise beyond my addictions, and I blamed others for my problems. There was a lot of self pity and stagnation. I hated it. I hated everything.
Anyway I digress, my understanding of freewill was wrong, it was twisted. Freewill in its purest sense of "doing what thou wilt" doesn't exist. There is no such thing. One must understand there are external influences. The only free will one has is the freedom to choose between good and evil. These are the decisions that matter, and there is a part of ourselves that is detached, and can make the choice between right and wrong.
Sometimes we open ourselves to drugs, and this can impair our judgement but there is still a detached part that can say "I need help". Each decisions, each choice is a twist in our soul towards heaven or hell.
Other people's choices can also effect you, but how you react to it is under your control. There are definitely things beyond our control. But we can choose that which is within our circle of influence.
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Latest answers from neko-chan

What are your interests (hobbies,profession etc)? It would be nice to have an insight about the topics we could talk about.

I'm interested in theology, specifically Christianity and even philosophy that pertains to it. Currently I'm reading "Dialogues concerning natural religion" by David Hume and the "Selfish Gene" by Dawkins.
Also learning how to play the flute. (Debating whether I should buy the bansuri or just a regular flute.) And cramming kanji.
I particularly enjoy helping people grow and untangling their issues. So obviously, psychology, and debating it. (Is mental illness even real?)
Tldr: theology, philosophy, music, language and psychology, and shitposting on /r9k/
I hope to be a psychologist, educationalist, and a researcher.

I'm pretty positive about what I heard, but I respect your sentiment, and you can rest assure that I didn't mean to show religion or belief in any negative way. I personally think it only has to do with the pope and his fallacies, but nothing more. :)

Seagull
I know you weren't being purposely disrespect, which is why I responded. Don't worry even if I were offended I wouldn't outright ignore you. I feel you're a good person and wouldn't intentionally hurt someone.
Anyway, the pope isn't infallible (only on matters of Catholic dogma and faith he is) so he too can make mistakes.

I don't have a source but I saw it on TV with my own eyes. There was a huge stage and many reporters, and I'm fairly confident he said it to Stephan Hawking. It was some good years ago though.

Seagull
Interesting. Well if he said that then I don't think it promotes scientific literacy, but I understand the sentiment: When you try to study the beginning of creation you either begin to think you are on par with God- that man IS God and knows all God knows, or you see that there is something greater than man that controls us all.
I think this is pride- a mortal sin- that kind of thinking sends people to hell (sorry for not mincing my words) which is concurrent with the former way of thinking.
Anyway I looked into it a bit more because it seemed uncharacteristic of the church to say things like that.
This is what I found:
In a 1981 Vatican conference on cosmology Pope John Paul II apparently said the aforementioned statement.
I tracked down Pope John Paul's speech. I read through the entire thing. He doesn't say anything like that. Here you can see for yourself-
ADDRESS OF POPE JOHN PAUL II
TO THE PARTICIPANTS
IN THE VATICAN CONFERENCE ON COSMOLOGY, Saturday, 6 July 1985
https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/speeches/1985/july/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_19850706_conferenza-cosmologia.html
And
Discourse of His Holiness Pope John Paul II given on 3rd October 1981
https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/speeches/1985/july/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_19850706_conferenza-cosmologia.html
In fact he appears to encourage the scientific community in their quest to learn more about the universe.
Misunderstandings like these is what promotes this misconception that religion and science are opposed to one another. I vehemently dislike this thinking. It looks down upon the faithful as narrow minded and ignorant. But the truth is science only studies the objective world. It cannot study the metaphysical, sorry to say, that's the work of theology.
In 1988, John Paul said that “Science can purify religion from error and superstition; religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes.”
And that's what I believe.

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The pope asked the scientific community not to study occurrences before the big bang, how do you feel about this?

Seagull
It's dumb and seems fake. Sauce?

Your name was a little misleading. Nice that you are learning more languages. What languages do you actually speak fluently?

Seems like you haven't been on the internet long. For all you know I could be lying about being Indian too. For all you know I could really be a neko typing away on my laptop. Who knows?
I speak English by the way.

Do you pay attention to the material your clothes are made of?

Yes it has to be something I can comfortably sleep in and wear outside

Language: English